But in the end, Vlatko was not the only person at City who Dean Tomeski felt a tight kinship with.

There’s no doubt this 18-year-old goal getter took a gamble after leaving ACT Premier League side Belconnen United.

Tomeski left the second placed United to join City which plays in the State League - a competition which is a rung below the Premier League.

But the reason for his move was simple - Dean Tomeski not only sees Vlatko as family but the whole Queanbeyan City club.

“I played a game for Belconnen against Canberra FC and that was a game featuring the best two teams in the Premier League,” Tomeski said.

“And I reckon there were only 20-odd people at the ground.

“You need to wake up and feel the urge to play for your club and I wasn’t getting that over there.

“But here there’s a real passion at this club and I think we have a real good supporter base.”

Still, this is a guy who impressed Newcastle Jets officials during try-outs for the A-League side last year before succumbing to an ill-timed leg injury.

So isn’t it a career risk coming back to play in the State League?

Not at all according to the eternally optimistic Tomeski who puts a high value on winning the 2010 grand final at his adopted club.

“I came back here to help this side win the championship,’’ he said.

“And I’ll do everything I can to make that happen.

“Before I go back for A-League try-outs again I want to experience the passion and enjoyment of playing soccer and I think I’ll get that here.’’

With all that passion and enjoyment comes plenty of hard work.

And this is something Tomeski learnt from a young age before going on to become one of the youngest players to picked to represent AIS at just 14 years of age.

But he pays credit to father Ilija for achieving so much in the game so early.

“He’s been with me and Vlatko all the way,” Tomeski said.

“Even if you’ve had a bad day he’d give it to you and say you can do better.

“He drives me to do well.”

Now the young man with a respected football resume just wants to get on with business at a club which continues to rebuild after a horror year in last season’s Premier League.

“No-one thinks they’re better than anyone else here,” he said.

“Everyone is the same and that’s another thing I’m enjoying at this club.”